Variable
by Mau Antares
Summary: Kyon meets a friend of Yuki's and inquires about it. Just a minor attempt at character development. Takes place post-Disappearance. Rated T just to be safe for potential future chapters.
1. Who?

It was a rather cold winter day. Christmas had just gone by, and we were yet to go to Koizumi's Mystery Tour. Damn, it was cold. Anyway, school had past as normal, the always-confused Okabe-sensei had to spend a good fifteen minutes arguing, no, getting his ass verbally kicked by the girl that had complicated my life so much in the past year - Suzumiya Haruhi. She wanted to decorate our classroom for New Year, now, that would not be a problem, if it were anyone else, but Haruhi wanted to paint murals or something as ludicrous as that. I think I heard something about "the true evil side of Santa" or something. Whatever it is, I don't think it would be anywhere near acceptable in a classroom - no, in a school absolutely anywhere in the world. I've seen the drafts for the wall paintings she had done in class. We had a surprise test in Physics and whilst I was struggling with the first problem, she already finished the damn thing. Pft, I see that the gods, if any exist, don't really care about just desserts. She's (un)surprisingly good at anything she does, be it physics, cooking or tossing ornate daggers, she excelled in it. As long as it was interesting in some and any way. Anyway, the draft looked like a crash/hybrid between Santa Claus, a ninja and a stereotypical Russian soldier. I sincerely apologize to any actual Russian soldier she probably offended with such an image.

As I was making my way towards the clubroom, that idiot Taniguchi turned up out of nowhere.  
>"Hey, Kyon, y'know what?"<br>I still can't believe that nickname had spread so fast, like a wildfire hitting a briquette store.  
>"I got a date with another girl in Kouyoen!"<br>Do I look like I even remotely care? He probably picked up on the unnerved look on my face.  
>"You could be a little more supportive of your friends!"<br>Huh, isn't that what I have been doing all year? Supporting my friends? Nagato, and, ok, Haruhi, fine, to an extent even Koizumi, and of course the lovely Asashina-san!  
>"Kyon, dude, that Suzumiya virus is seriously getting to you. Get away from me, before I get infected too."<br>And with those words, the village idiot left me pretty much in front of the Literature Club's room, now completely overtaken by the SOS Brigade headquarters. It reminded me of History class - the Bosnian Annexation Crisis. Basically, the Austro-Ugric Monarchy just said 'You belong to us now. Nobody cares what you have to say about that'. I was pretty sure that Haruhi actually wanted to go to war with the Student Council. And, of course, I would be caught in the trenches.

Knocking lightly on the clubroom door, I heard the light voice that made my heart flutter, belonging to the SOS Brigade's maid and resident angel.  
>"Come in~"<br>As I walked into the clubroom, I was met with a familiar sight: Asahina-san brewing the heavenly elixir, locally known as 'tea', and Nagato reading some doorstop tome with maybe a few thousand pages, surprisingly, Koizumi and Haruhi haven't come yet, even though Taniguchi had intercepted my way towards the room.  
>"Kyon-kun, would you like some tea? I bought some new tea leaves today, I don't know what they're like, so..."<br>Oh, even lye would taste like heaven if it passed through the hands of the time-traveling belle. As expected, the tea was amazing.

In time, neither Haruhi nor Koizumi showed up, so Nagato and I started getting ready to leave, so Asahina-san could have some privacy changing.  
>"Would you like to come over?"<br>Erm, wait, what? Nagato?  
>"Would you like to come to my apartment?" The alien girl hadn't changed her facial expression nor her tone while uttering those two sentences. Hmm, the only reason Nagato would ask me to come to her apartment would be if there were a crisis in need of solving. Maybe the timequake fixing the previous events didn't go as planned? Was she worried about what her superiors might do to her?<p>

Walking towards Nagato's apartment building was unsurprisingly silent. Snow started falling, very slowly, but in copious amounts. If this turns into a blizzard, I have no idea how will I get home. Eventually, we got to the finish line, Nagato's apartment. That empty place did give off a rather melancholic feel, but felt comforting now.  
>"Sit."<br>As she said it, I obeyed.  
>"I will prepare some food for us"<br>Oookay, she wants to eat with me? You know, after meeting the human Nagato, I had started to notice that our Nagato may have been developing real emotions. And, logically, I was afraid that her first emotion would be loneliness. She deserves better. So, that was it. She was getting lonely. Poor girl...  
>My thinking was interrupted by the interphone bell. Was she expecting someone else? Nagato's ghastly figure floated over to the interphone, slowly pressing the answer button. A buzzing voice came through; but from here, it was unidentifiable. I couldn't even tell what was the gender of the speaker.<br>"Hey, Yuki, I just got back from school, I just finished with my extra classes. Oh, and I got that book you were asking for, I'll be coming up now!"  
>Even if I could tell was that being even human, I could hear that it was rather energetic.<br>"Erm, Nagato, who was that?"  
>Maybe it was another ally of hers? The image of Ryoko Asakura went through my head. I couldn't stand another assassination attempt.<p>

The silence was seriously visible. Okay.

A few moments later, the doorbell rang. Nagato's spectral frame pretty much levitated to the door, opening it with surprising intensity.  
>"Come in."<br>The being that walked in was a girl our age. She was rather pretty from a far, Nagato's apartment is quite spacious. She wore blue jeans and a simple black shirt with a thick gray coat over. But, as she got closer, some details were appearing. The hair was long, straight and black, about the size of Asahina-san's hair, but that was the only thing this girl had in common with my angel. This girl was as flat as Nagato's floor. And she was a bit pale, too almost sickly pale. She had very powerful olive-green eyes, with bluish-purple bags under them, showing there wasn't much sleep. But, as she came closer, she spoke with a voice that was unmistakably male.  
>"I finally found that book you were looking for, I wasn't easy, might I tell yo- oh, hello, are you a friend of Yuki's?"<br>The boy (I was absolutely certain now) was a bit confused with my presence here, he must be aware of Yuki's asocial behavior as well.  
>"Yeah, I'm Ta-"<br>"Oh, wait, you're Kyon, right? She's mentioned you before."  
>Ugh, the nickname.<br>"I'm Hakusora Daichi, from class 1-9."  
>Koizumi's class? Wait, isn't that the same class that disappeared within those three days? I find this highly suspect.<br>"Hakusora-kun, do you happen to know-"  
>I was interrupted by a very cheerful laughter from this mysterious individual.<br>"Please, Kyon, my name is Daichi, I really dislike that faux respect system our society holds."  
>Straightforward, isn't he? A bit rude there, though.<br>"Okay, Daichi, do you by any chance know a Koizumi Itsuki in your class?"  
>But, again. it would be weird not to know him, considering they're in the same class.<br>"Itsuki? Um, yeah, I know him. We talk from time to time. They often pair us up in group activities in class, but that's about it. Why?"  
>Because if you do, you just might be an esper, or even a slider, we don't have that one yet.<br>"No reason, he's a friend."  
>I guess being stuck with me in Haruhi's antics classifies him as a friend.<br>"Oh, Yuki, I have some stuffed peppers for dinner, I have a lot, should I bring them here?"  
>"If you wish."<br>The black haired guy jumped up from the floor and ran out the door with a yell: "Be right back!"

And so, Nagato and I sat there in the silence. Eventually, my curiosity got the best of me.  
>"Nagato, who is this guy?"<br>If he's a potential Ryoko Asakura, I want to know.  
>"Or more precisely, is he... an abnormal human being?"<br>If he's with any other faction, I want to know that.  
>"You would not classify him as completely normal, according to some, he can be considered a deviation from the social norm."<br>That is not exactly what I meant. Just because he has a strange personality doesn't make him an alien.  
>"But, he is mostly a normal human being, in terms of what you would call 'supernatural'" Mostly? That's not a 'completely'.<br>"What is he, a slider?"  
>He haven't had those yet.<br>"He possesses no abilities of spatial plane alternation."  
>Hmm, then what?<br>"Does he have any special abilities? Any confusing events surrounding him?"  
>Anything? He's Nagato's friend, he has to be important for the plot in some manner! He even has a name! He must be important!<br>"The Integrated Data Sentient Entity cannot predict his future actions."  
>Eh?<br>"Also, he is not connected to the Macrospatial Quantum Existence, or any other faction we know of. There is no obvious reason for the data blockade."  
>Say what?<br>"Likewise, neither his actions nor his existence can be accounted for prior to the incident that had occurred this December."  
>Wait, does that mean that when you messed up the world, you messed him up as well?<br>"We are unsure of his importance concerning the situation around Suzumiya Haruhi. More observation must be made, but as an objective secondary to Suzumiya Haruhi."  
>So, your job is to observe him as well?<br>"Yes. However, the Integrated Data Sentient Entity would not have noticed him if he had not interacted with me on his own accord."  
>He approached you?<br>"If we were to observe the universe as the result of a high-power functional equation, he would be one of the variables. However, Hakusora Daichi and Suzumiya Haruhi are not variables of the same powers. His existence carries insignificant impact to the end result of the equation."  
>So... much... science-talk... So he wasn't created by Haruhi?<br>"No."  
>Silence enveloped the room.<p>

While I was immersed in thought, a loud knock came onto the door.  
>"Yuki, I'm back!"<br>Daichi came into the room, holding an enormous metal container.  
>"I brought the peppers!"<br>And a lot, from what I see.  
>As we ate, conversation was mostly between Daichi and me, however, he was constantly trying to include Nagato as well. He seemed rather friendly towards her. I had time to observe him. What was his reason? I'm guessing he's a slider, but, no, they would've appeared by now. Hmm, maybe he's just an ordinary human... He was the loudest at the table, but I saw right through him. If I weren't here, he'd be much more timid. If he was eating alone, he'd be straight out depressed. He's putting up this mask to try and cheer Nagato up? Slowly, but steadily, our supper was putting itself to an end. When we finished, he gave Nagato the book; it was a typical Nagato doorstop. That thing could seriously be used as a projectile. Nagato accepted the book silently and placed in on the floor next to her foot.<br>"Well, I should probably get going, I need some shuteye after today."  
>Hmm, imagine a tired Haruhi... yeah, no. I got up as well, preparing to leave, while Nagato was just staring at us.<p>

After we said 'good night' and got out of the apartment, I waited for the elevator with Haku-no, wait, Daichi.  
>"So, how'd you meet Nagato? She's not the type to approach people."<br>I could see a hint of discomfort with him.  
>"Hmm, it's a rather boring, long story."<br>I have time.  
>"Well, I don't. This is my floor. Bye, Kyon, hope to see you soon!"<br>With those words, he jumped out of the elevator.

Tomorrow at school, I saw that Haruhi did paint her mural after all. I will leave that to your imagination, because I really have no intention to describe such absurdities. School itself was boring as usual. The situation in the clubroom was pretty much the same. Asahina-san was in her usual maid outfit, Koizumi was playing some random board game I've never seen before, Nagato was reading another doorstop, which was actually the book Hakusora gave her. Haruhi wasn't here yet, so I took the opportunity to inquire about Hakusora.

"So, Koizumi, what's up with that Hakusora guy in your class?"  
>"Hm? Hakusora Daichi? Why?"<br>Because he just might be a slider.  
>"I doubt that he is one. Wouldn't have Suzumiya-san brought him into the SOS Brigade at the start of the year like she had collected us?"<br>Hmm, he does have a point there.  
>"What's he like, is there anything special about him?"<br>"No, I don't think there's anything supernatural around him, if that's what you're asking. He is rather intelligent, but very quiet and timid in class. He doesn't have many friends. I think I'm the only one who actually talks to him. Poor guy, he's actually pretty nice once you get to know him."  
>Okay, glad to see you got yourself a boyfriend, but I don't care! What do you know about him? When did you start talking with him?<br>"Some time ago, I don't really remember now that I think about it, I-"  
>Suddenly, Koizumi went silent with a perplexed look on his face.<br>"What?"  
>He suddenly got very worried.<br>"Hmm, I can't... seem to remember..."  
>Remember what?<br>"Him. I can't remember anything about him prior to this December. December 18th, specifically."  
>December 18th... So this world being messed up by Nagato has something to do with him.<br>"We all act like he's been here from day 1, and he possesses knowledge of events that occurred in our class before December, but... I can't seem to remember him then and there. Maybe it's because I've been around Suzumiya-san too much?"  
>Hmm... I can't really think of a good reason here. Maybe he was written into our world on December 18th.<p>

"Nagato, do you know anything about his sudden appearance in this world?"  
>She silently looked up from the book, stared at me and just said three little words that were so unusual for her, yet, sadly, expected from her eventually.<p>

"I was lonely."

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><p><strong>Author's note: Hello everybody! How've ya been? This story is something I've written quite some time ago, a little attempt at characterization under the influence of watching Disappearance. I tried to make the dinner scene parallel to the dinner with Ryoko in the movie, just to accentuate the unease Kyon was in.<strong>

**I may leave it as a one-shot, but if there is at least one person at any point in time that wishes to see more of the story, well, then maybe I might just make it. All reviews and thoughts you'd be willing to share are truly appreciated!**

**-Mau Antares**


	2. How?

Good morning... well, that's what I would say if only this morning had anything good about it. Here I am, upon the steep hill on my way to school. The slope is murder upon the legs. If there was ever a surefire way to grind someone's legs to nothingness, this would be it. I feel like a karakuri, just wound up and going, going, going, going until I unwind or fall apart. And lately I've been feeling very wound up.  
>It's been a day since Nagato confessed to her sins. I'm still in shock. She created herself a friend. Was she really that desperate? As I was walking towards the entrance, he caught up to me. Hakusora Daichi. Does he know of his artificial nature? Is he aware that he's not meant to be here?<br>"Kyon, hi, how've you been?"  
>Fine, I guess. Still a bit stunned, though.<br>"So, the other day you said it was a long story - how you've met Nagato. Well, we got time now."  
>A look of discomfort appeared on his face. It was rather unsettling to see him like this.<br>"It's... nothing worthy of mention..."  
>Oh, come on, how bad can it be? He couldn't have done something so bad.<br>"I'm sorry, Kyon, but that's a story for another day."  
>With those words, he sped up, leaving me behind.<p>

I wasn't alone for all too long, because somebody else caught up to me. Oh joy.  
>"Kyon-kun, why the down expression?"<br>Ugh... Of all people to see on my way here, I get stuck with Koizumi.  
>"I'm just thinking about... everything, I guess."<br>"About the current situation with Hakusora-kun? You know, you're becoming astoudingly easy to read."  
>Oh, shut up you smirking bastard, who told you to define am I 'easily read' or whatever!<br>"No need to get hostile. I was merely making a claim based on observing, nothing invasive."  
>You can observe my ass! On the other hand, please don't... Please. Don't.<br>Koizumi's grinning face started laughing to no end. I am seriously going to throw this guy off the school roof.  
>"Well, who knows how it will all turn out. He might not possess any supernatural abilities. For now, all we can do is lay dormant and observe."<br>And wait for the world to go to hell and back umpteen times? Nuh-uh.  
>"Tell me, Koizumi, do you think he knows?"<br>The grin vanished from his face, to be replaced with a more serious, contemplative one.  
>"Hmm... Well, we have a dichotomy. He either knows or he doesn't."<br>No shit, Koizumi. Here I present to you the Nobel Prize for outstanding results in the field of making dead-obvious statements.  
>"If he knows, well, then he knows and he's playing along. Although it might be troublesome if he decides to go on a killing spree and then it turns out it was just Yuki's subconscious desire to kill us all suddenly infused with life."<br>Just how high exactly are you?  
>"Oh, hahaha, it was just a little joke. Jokes aside, if he knows, then he is in a better position because we cannot predict if he will do anything, what will he do and *how* will he do it. On the other hand, if he doesn't know, then we have another two options: inform him or keep him in the dark. If we tell him, then he might have a little existential crisis, and we'd like to avoid that, wouldn't we? If we conceal his origin, then it's only a temporary solution, as he is bound to find out someday. For now, we can do nothing other than observation."<br>Perfect! He's in your class! You're the perfect observer! Koizumi, the fate of the world rests in your hands! And I can get some rest!  
>"Oh, I hope it won't be so critical that I will be in charge over the fate of the world."<br>Shut up, Koizumi.

Class went on as usual, Haruhi slept through most of the day. I wonder, what is she dreaming of? Do you make your new worlds there? Are your dreams real? Somewhere, in some universe, it could all be real. Hell, even in this one. What is going through your dreamscape? Whatever it is, I hope it's peaceful. For all our sakes. The mouse-like English teacher seemed to be a bit afraid of waking her up, I mean, who wouldn't? She kept on teaching, just casting a frightened glance towards Haruhi every once in a while. Please, do not wake her up! Nobody can know for sure what vaguely Lovecraftian horrors will be unleashed upon this land! Oh, and her "Santa" mural is still on the wall, I guess she used some superpowered paint that can only be removed with an exorcism or purification ritual or something like that. We'll get a Buddhist monk, a Catholic priest, the Necronomicon, whatever you need, just get this absurdity off the wall!

Going up to the clubroom, I bumped into Koizumi on the staircase. So? How was your 'observation mission'?  
>"Oh? I wasn't aware I would start immediately."<br>Koizumi, I will cut you.  
>"Please refrain from violence, it was just a joke. Today, well, nothing crucial happened. I was paired up with him in Chemistry class, so I managed to get a better insight in his psyche."<br>And? How crazy is he? There has to be something interesting.  
>"Well, he is quite intelligent, I can tell you that. He excels in languages, mathematical fields, natural sciences, well, almost everything. Although, he does have a special interest in chemistry, we got the best grade."<br>Enough with the glorification, please. I don't need *another* reminder of how my grades are plummeting.  
>"Oh, I apologize, I didn't mean to assert that he's a superior being in comparison to you or whatnot, that would be just stupid and dismissive of your own accomplishments."<br>You have three seconds to stop smiling.  
>"But, intelligent as he may be, he is very lonely. So far, he's interacted only with me. For someone written into the past, he doesn't have much synchronicity with this world. He just sits there in class, here and there raising his hand, but it's like he's completely detached from the world."<br>Hm, he didn't mention any of that so far. Koizumi only pulled out his trademark grin.  
>"Well, we aren't exactly 'best friends', but we aren't just acquaintances. Maybe he didn't want to bring up his, hmmm, socially asynchronous side?"<p>

By then we got to the clubroom. Tapping lightly on the door, we were greeted with a serenade of angels welcoming us to the gates of Heaven itself!  
>"Come in~"<br>The cherub who had taken my heart captive immediately got to the stove to pour us the sweet sweet poison named tea. Mmmm, delicious as always. The strange thing was neither Haruhi nor Nagato were in the clubroom. This was no strange thing for Haruhi, she was probably causing mass destruction elsewhere, but Nagato?  
>"Oh, Nagato-san told me to tell you that she has gone to the, um... the library, was it...? Yes, the public library. Ah, and I bought these new teas, apple and cinnamon, blood orange and ginger, and forest strawberry! They're really nice... Which one would you like?"<br>Oh I'd take black bile in a cup if you served it to me!  
>"When did you go and buy these? You probably didn't have time yesterday."<br>Koizumi, who gives a damn when she bought it, it would be amazing if she had bought it three years ago and kept it in her shoes since then!  
>"I bought it very early this morning, in a tea shop by the river."<br>"Ah, I know that place. The owner is a very friendly man."  
>I'm seriously starting to get paranoid whenever you say you 'know' someone. Is he a part of the Agency too?<br>"Yes, he's very nice! He gave Hakusora-kun and me a big discount!"  
>Well, of course he gave you a disco-wait, what did she just say?<br>"Asahina-san, are you referring to the Hakusora Daichi in Koizumi's class?"  
>"Ah, yes. We bumped into each other by the river this morning, he was going to the tea shop as well, so we went together. The owner gave us a discount because of him! He said: 'Any friend of Hakusora-kun is welcome here!' so I guess Hakusora-kun is a regular customer."<br>More people know him? Just how the hell...?  
>"Tell me, Asahina-san, have you detected anything unusual about him? This is very important."<br>That's right, you ask her, Koizumi. A rather panicky look invaded the facial features of my precious Asahina-san.  
>"Um... well, a [classified information]-styled signal from [classified information] came to [classified information] to tell me that he [classified information] from [classified information] that [classified information] incident of [classified information] when Nagato-san [classified information] and caused that massive [classified information]-type [classified information] timequake. But I don't know, he doesn't seem like he [classified information] or [classified information] at all... Oh my... I'm sorry I can't say more."<br>Her censor is slipping up. All that [classified information] is getting on everyone's nerves, especially hers.  
>"So you're aware of Hakusora-kun's... nature?"<br>"To a certain extent, I guess."  
>So, it seems that Hakusora has interacted with everyone in the SOS Brigade but Haruhi. Huh, the weirdness magnet that she is, I'd half expect to see him with her first. I made my way to the window, to clear it up a bit, it got very blurred... Is that Hakusora carrying boxes with Haruhi? Please kill me now. Okay? Just make it quick. Pain optional.<br>"Well, it appears that Hakusora-kun has interacted with us all in one way or another."  
>Who knows how will this end? Haruhi and Hakusora are making their way to the school, I guess they're coming up here.<p>

"HELLO EVERYONE! I have a superspecialamazing idea for New Year!"  
>As always, Haruhi's face shone with such energy one would have to wonder how high are her body's electricity bills.<br>"Shut up, Kyon, your jokes are lame."  
>Screw you.<br>"Well, Daichi and I brought these boxes up and..."  
>Blah, blah, blah, now she's started talking and there will be absolutely no shutting her up. Let me just not pay attention to your madnesses.<br>"Kyon, listen to me when I am speaking! You better not disrespect the Supreme Chief, or else!"  
>I'm tired of that tyrant. She thinks she's the bee's knees. I'm getting pissed with her impatience, you're forced just constantly agree. Yes, madam. Yes, madam! Three hundred bags full. It's easier to say 'yes' than to say 'no' to a violence-prone... god... girl... thing.<br>"So, since we can't spend New Year's Eve here, the security is too tight for that, we can organize the celebration at someone's house. Who here is willing to give up their space for the night?"  
>I most certainly cannot. I would like to keep my house in one piece.<br>"I believe I could arrange some accomodations, however, no promises made, considering it would be on such short notice."  
>Let's go over the last time you arranged something, Koizumi.<br>"My apartment is large enough."  
>Na-nagato? I'd never guess she'd offer this. But then again, considering the current events...<br>"So it's settled! Kyon, bring your sister! Mikuru, bring Tsuruya-chan! Koizumi, uh, bring your girlfriend!"  
>"I'm afraid she is currently in a state of non-beingness and therefore will not be joining us for New Year's Eve."<br>Oh Koizumi, that was the most sugarcoated way of saying 'I am dateless', wasn't it?  
>"Okay, so! We need to split the duties! Mikuru, decorations, a lot of them! Koizumi and Daichi! You two will dress in Santa-like costumes! Kyon, you're supplying the food for all of us! Yuki already gave her apartment, so I can't ask her for more. No alcohol! Be sure to remember that!"<br>Why do I have to get the most expensive part?!  
>"This will be a true SOS Brigade-style celebration! The next year belongs to us!"<p>

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><p><strong>Author's note: Heeeyo everyone! Happy New Year and all the appropriate winter interval holidays! I am SO SORRY for not updating sooner. Writer's block held me in its clutches for so long, but no more! I am UNCONQUERABLE. I would really appreciate if you'd take the time to review and especially correct any grammar errors and typos. It really matters to a writer, I guess.<strong>

**I'd also like to thank Tsu Zu Mia, vetty123 and HannahLWing for reading and reviewing. Words cannot describe how sorry I am for making you wait so much for this chapter.**

**As for the next chapter, it might be up sooner than you think, because I finally have an idea where to take this story. It won't be too long, several more chapters, probably, but I doubt it'll go as far as, say, ten chapters. And I'll even give you a small teaser of the next chapter.**

**SANTA COSTUME ****SHOPPING**

**Thank you for your patience!**

**- Mau Antares**


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